[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1114-E1115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ELI M. BURGOS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 16, 2010

  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I would like to call to your attention 
the deeds of a person I am proud to represent and prouder still to call 
a friend, Eli M. Burgos, who will be recognized tonight on the occasion 
of his retirement from a 36-year career of service to the city of 
Paterson, NJ.
  Eli M. Burgos was born in Puerto Rico in 1949 to Minister Gregorio 
Burgos and his wife Lucia. He has three sisters, Sara, Raquel and Irma, 
and one brother, Fred. In the early 1950s he moved to New York City and 
one year later to the city of Paterson. Eli attended Paterson Public 
School No. 3, No. 2, Central High School, and in 1967 graduated from 
John F. Kennedy High School. Soon after, Eli was called upon to serve 
in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Conflict. After reporting to Fort 
Dix, he was sent to the U.S. Army Medical Training Center in San 
Antonio, Texas for training as a Medical Corpsman. He graduated with 
the highest cadre evaluation, and continued his medical training at 
Madigan General Hospital, Tacoma, Washington. He then was transferred 
overseas where he completed his active duty with the 42nd Medical 
Battalion, 8th Medical Company. During this time, Eli served under the 
command of Captain Jeffery Parks, son of the legendary ``Miss America 
Pageant'' MC, Bert Parks. Eli was honorably discharged as a Medical 
Corpsman Specialist IV, in 1971. Thereafter he served in the United 
States Army Reserves for four more years.
  Upon his discharge, Eli returned home and began a career in public 
service. Eli Burgos attended Rutgers University where he completed all 
of the requirements to become a certified public purchasing official 
and a qualified purchasing agent and also attended Fairleigh Dickinson 
University, where he received his certificate in public service 
administration.
  Prior to working for the city of Paterson, Eli was the co-founder and 
executive director for PRVANJ, a statewide service organization, funded 
by a Federal grant, to identify the needs of and provide services to 
returning Vietnam-era veterans. In 1974, Eli was hired by Mayor Pat 
Kramer as a planner for the Manpower Planning Council, later the City's 
Employment and Training Division, or C.E.T.A. Eli rose through the 
ranks and in 1981 was appointed by Mayor Frank Graves to become the 
agency's executive director. With the promotion, Eli became the first 
Hispanic American division director in Paterson's history. In 1984, 
Mayor Graves again promoted Eli to the Deputy Directorship of the City 
Department of Human Resources, and two years later to City Purchasing 
Agent, where he was responsible for the annual procurement of over 50 
million dollars in goods and services. He held this position for 19 
years. During my time as mayor, Eli served as a liaison to the growing 
Hispanic community. On October 21, 1998, Mayor Marty Barnes appointed 
Eli to the position of deputy mayor, while allowing him to continue 
directing the purchasing division. On July 1, 2002, Mayor Jose ``Joey'' 
Torres named Eli as the business administrator for the city of 
Paterson, a position of major authority and responsibility and one he 
will vacate upon his retirement at the end of the current mayor's term.
  Eli's volunteer work has been widely recognized and rewarded with 
over 250 awards, certificates and other honors and recognitions. He has 
been named ``Man of the Year'' on seven occasions and has been the 
Grand Marshall and Deputy Grand Marshall of various parades and 
festivals held in New Jersey. Eli has devoted over 25,000 hours of time 
as a volunteer to a multitude of programs and projects in the State, 
county and his beloved city of Paterson. Eli has worked with public 
education projects, local anti-poverty programs, daycare centers, 
senior citizen services, church-related projects, sports leagues, 
recreation activities, health and safety, political campaigns and many 
others that include fundraising for the American Red Cross and other 
non-profits to aid victims of natural disasters such as hurricanes and 
earthquakes. He has been elected president of many organizations and 
has been a founder or co-founder of others. He continues his work on 
the Board of Directors of the North Jersey Federal Credit Union. Eli is 
very proud of his service with other organizations such as Bamert 
Hospital, the New Jersey Supreme Court Ethics Committee Fee Arbitration 
Panel, the Board of Directors of the Local Initiative Support 
Corporation ``LISC,'' New Jersey Health Professions Education Advisory 
Council and many other community-related boards and institutions.
  Eli has written many articles for periodicals highlighting the 
struggles and accomplishments of the Puerto Rican and Latino 
Communities of Paterson and the State of New Jersey. He also worked for 
seven years as a part time photojournalist for Noticias Del Mundo, a 
leading daily newspaper in New Jersey and New York. Also active in 
politics, Eli ran for the Board of Education in 1989, his first attempt 
at elective office, and won by a wide margin. In 1991, he was selected 
as my running mate for election to the New Jersey Legislature, to 
represent the 35th District. Eli fell short of winning the election by 
the slimmest of margins. He never sought elected office again, instead 
continuing his administrative and managerial work to better the city of 
Paterson. Eli is presently serving his 5th term on the Democratic State 
Committee and previously served 11 years on the Passaic County 
Democratic Committee. He is a member of the city's Emergency Management 
Team, the New Jersey Municipal Managers Association, the New Jersey 
Purchasing Agents Association, and the National Institute of 
Governmental Purchasing.
  Throughout the years, another constant in Eli's life has been his 
family. His wife, Yolanda, recently retired as the principal of 
International High School in Paterson. All of their children, Louie, 
Janel, and Velanae, have obtained college degrees as has their 
daughter-in-law, Luciana, and son-in-law, Victor. Eli and Yolanda are 
proud grandparents to Destin Louis and Liana Rose.
  The job of a United States Congressman involves much that is 
rewarding, yet nothing compares to working with and recognizing the 
efforts of dedicated public servants like Eli. He will retire as the 
only person in Paterson's history to have served in the capacity of 
acting mayor, deputy mayor, department director and division director, 
responsibilities he has carried out in the most professional and 
ethical manner possible. He is humbled by the opportunity to have 
served this great historical city and to have made so many friends and 
acquaintances along the way, and I am proud to have been able to work 
with him.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, the residents of 
the city of Paterson, everyone associated with public service in our 
great city, Eli's family and friends, and me, in recognizing Eli M. 
Burgos' outstanding service to his community.

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